


The Winter Fever

by TheLinearCurve



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Fluff and Angst, M/M, Original Character(s), Possible Character Death, Sick Character, Sickfic, not really angst, original - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-22
Updated: 2019-11-22
Packaged: 2021-02-18 01:07:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21519400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLinearCurve/pseuds/TheLinearCurve
Summary: During a mission at a nearby town, Gray takes a hit from a mysterious magic user. The effects of the spell put Gray onto the verge of death and his chances of survival are slim.  Whether or not it is life or death lies significantly in Natsu's arms and he has to do all he can to ensure Gray's safety.
Relationships: Natsu Dragneel/Gray Fullbuster
Comments: 11
Kudos: 134





	The Winter Fever

**Author's Note:**

> There are some medical-ish stuff in here. For the most part I made up a bunch. There is like one thing that references modern western medicine, but like don't look too deep into it because it doesn't really matter, tbh. I tried my best to make something that made, for the most part, scientific sense. Hopefully, the one thing won't make you hate the story. Anyway, I hope you enjoy. Also, set after Grand Magic Games because I feel like it and Juvia basically doesn't exist because I didn't feel like writing her in. Good times. Enjoy.

Natsu, Gray, Erza, Wendy, Lucy, Happy, and Carla walked along the dirt road that lead into Magnolia. Each person stepping with exhaustion present in some way. The group had finished a job protecting a small forest town from a mysterious magic user that used magic that none of the wizards had ever seen or even heard of. 

After they finished the job, the team decided to head home. It was a choice that cut the trip down a day, but the thought of sleeping in their own beds after the hard battle was motivation enough for them all to agree upon taking the trip back to Magnolia. Unfortunately, because of Natsu’s motion sickness they all agreed upon walking back so the poor dragon slayer wasn’t in misery his whole way home. After halfway through the trek each member was feeling the exhaustion in a different way. The tiredness just got worse and worse as they continued home. 

Erza had positioned herself at the rear of the team to keep an eye on everybody. She was the one telling them to take breaks and watching for if they needed to find a place to stay the night. She took a moment to analyze her team. Natsu and Lucy were at the front next to each other. Natsu had his head up watching the road, but some of his steps were clumsy and dragging. He was clearly the least exhausted of the bunch as he walked with much higher steps than the rest. Happy was just above his shoulder flying with lowered wings, and Lucy was just to his side with her head hung low and her steps scuffing the ground.

A few strides behind Wendy walked with her head high and neat steps with only a tired look on her face to show any signs of exhaustion. Erza didn't expect too much tiredness from the girl, seeing as she usually worked as support for the team rather than someone who engaged in direct combat. Carla walked beside her with a stern look on her face of determination, nothing out of the usual.

Gray was to the left of Erza, just barely in front of her. He was concerning her the most out of the group. Every time she had called for a break it was because of him, but no matter how many times they stopped to rest he seemed to just continue racking up exhaustion. The fact that Gray was the only one directly hit by the wizard’s magic was the most concerning to Erza. She assumed his exhaustion would have something to do with the blast, but she couldn’t recall ever observing an effect of magic similar to this. 

Gray walked with his head hung low and his feet were barely lifting from the ground. Erza could see how hard it was for him to keep his balance as he wobbled with every step he took. She also noticed how hard he was trying to hide it. His breathing was soft, but laboured and sporadic. She noticed how he was tightly holding his upper arms. He was lightly rubbing his skin. Erza noticed that his skin was rubbed red from it. It was as if he was trying to warm himself, but ice wizards don’t get cold. It was all too concerning for Erza to stand idly by and pretend to not notice. 

“Gray,” Erza said and stopped in her tracks. Gray and the rest stopped at her words. Gray turned his head to Erza. His eyes were slightly bloodshot and they were drooping. His face looked paler than usual, so Erza narrowed her eyes, as if to warn him to not lie, and asked, “are you alright?” 

“Yeah,” He responded, “I'm just ready to get home and sleep. I'm just t-tired like everyone else, Erza,” Gray insisted, but the slight stutter at the t raised red flags for Erza, “Let's continue on, we aren't too far out from Magnolia,” Gray said and turned to continue walking. He took a few steps and the others turned back toward the road to follow his lead and continued walking, but Erza stayed.. Erza dropped the handles to her wagon and clenched her fists to her sides. 

Gray and the other wizards all snapped their heads back at Erza at the sound of the wood falling against the dirt road. Natsu gave Erza a confused look. 

“What was that for?” Natsu asked, raising an eyebrow at Erza. 

“I don’t believe you, Gray,” Erza snapped and ignored Natsu's question. Her eyes were still set on Gray and narrowed when she saw him rub his arms again. The motion made her even more skeptical of his words. 

“I'm f-fine Erza,” Gray snapped and his barely noticeable stutter was enough to make up Erza's mind. She knew that Gray was not feeling well and didn't have the guts to tell anyone. Gray turned around again and started to walk. He took one step and his leg gave out from under him and he collapsed. 

“Gray!” Wendy squealed and ran over to where he had fallen on the ground. The others rushed over as well to check on their friend who had fallen. Wendy pushed him over onto his back so she could help with her magic. Gray’s eyes were slightly open, enough to only see the whites of his eyes. His mouth was parted and his breathing was shallow. Gray's head lolled around slowly a bit, but he did not have much more movement than that. 

Wendy suddenly squealed, and shocked the rest around her. They all snapped their head to the little girl who knelt beside Gray on the ground. She had wide eyes and stared at her right hand, which she held in her other one. The palm of her right hand was pink and the skin was irritated.

“What is it, Child?” Carla said before Erza was able to ask. 

“He's freezing,” she squeaked out and tightened her grip on her own hand, her eyes welling up with tears. It was obvious to the others that the cold had hurt her hand. 

“Wendy, Gray is an ice maker wizard. He's always cold,” Lucy said to help Wendy understand, her tone calm and level-headed.

“No, it's not like normal. He was so cold. Usually he's just cool, but he feels like ice,” Wendy explained desperately, “No, not even ice, but colder than Ice. It was so cold that it burned. Erza dropped to her knees beside wendy and held out her hand to touch Gray's forehead. 

Erza pulled her hand back quickly when she touched Gray's head and felt his frigid skin. She felt the same sudden sting of the cold.

“I think he may be sick,” Erza said and stood back up to look at Lucy and Natsu with a concerned expression, “I've never seen something like this, though,” she said lowly and contemplative. 

“I can heal him,” Wendy said and held her hands over Gray's chest and stomach, careful to not tough his skin.

“You're already tired, Wendy, healing this boy will make you exceptionally fatigued,” Carla protested.

“I don't care, Carla, I have to help him. He's my friend!” Wendy snapped back and her hands started to glow. She stayed like that for a few moments before she stopped. 

“Is he gonna be okay?” Happy asked as he looked over Natsu's shoulder. 

“It’s not doing anything!” Wendy exclaimed in distress, confused as to why she couldn't help. 

“There’s one last thing we can check,” Erza said and took a few steps toward her piles of luggage. She pulled something out of a small bag near the front and stopped for a second, “requip!” she said and suddenly Erza's silver armor was gone and she was in a nurse's costume.

“Does that outfit give you special healing magic?” Natsu exclaimed excitedly.

“No, it just makes me look good when I help my friends,” Erza said with smile. All their expressions simultaneously trurned to ones of distress and dsibelief.

“Isn’t it a bad time to be playing dress up, Erza?” Lucy asked hesitantly.

“We need to take his temperature, internal and external,” Erza said, ignoring Lucy's comment. She kneeled down beside Gray and set a small glass stick in Gray's slightly parted mouth. 

“Wendy, can you hold this here?” Erza asked and Wendy took the glass in her hand to hold steady. Erza then pushed up Gray's shirt, shivering from the contact with his bare skin on her fingers. Erza then placed a small device on the middle of his stomach and held her fingers over it to keep it there. 

“Now what?” Natsu asked impatiently.

“We must wait a moment, Natsu,” Erza said sternly in reply. The group waited for about a minute before Erza took the thermometer from Wendy's hands and took it out of Gray's mouth. Erza took a second to read the stick, but her eyes widened at the numbers she read. She then quickly pulled off the device from his stomach and read it too, hoping it would settle her mind. 

“Oh my god,” Erza said, panicked, “We need to get back to the guild now to speak with Master Makarov. Natsu, you're the only one of us that would be able to hold Gray, take him and run as fast as you can to the guild. And try to keep your body heat high if you can,” Erza demanded and shot Natsu a stern look. Natsu was scared by her sudden change and quickly scrambled to pick up Gray bridal style. He shivered at the contact with Gray, shocked at the extreme cold he was emitting. He shook it off and raised his own internal temperature to combat the icy feeling. Natsu then turned back onto the path and started to run with Happy flying close behind.

“What are we supposed to do Erza?” Wendy asked with wide eyes filled with concern. The girl was beginning to tear up, obviously concerned for her friend and teammate. 

“We are going to follow Natsu and go as fast as we can to the guild,” Erza stood up and started to run after Natsu as fast as she could, “Don’t worry, Wendy. We’ll make sure Gray is okay,” Erza shouted back as she ran. Lucy groaned and pulled out her golden Virgo key.

“Open gate of The Maiden: Virgo!” Lucy said and turned the key. From where she pointed the key, Virgo appeared from the ground.

“Who would you like me to punish, My Princess?” Virgo asked.

“I don't have the time for this,” Lucy muttered to herself, “Virgo, can you carry me back to Magnolia?” she asked. 

“Of course, My Princess,” Virgo said and lifted Lucy before running off in the same direction as Erza and Natsu. 

“Let's make haste, Child,” Carla said as Lucy disappeared in the distance and spread her wings before picking up the small blue-headed girl from here she sat on the ground in distress. 

***

The guild hall was filled with members chatting together and laughing as they drank in the early afternoon, completely carefree. None of the wizards who were sitting around seemed to have anything except for a nice day on their minds. The day was normal at the Fairy Tail guild, other than the lack of fights. 

“Gramps!” The chattering stopped and heads snapped to the door when Natsu burst through the door screaming for Master Makarov. As Natsu had stepped into the guild he collapsed and both he and Gray tumbled to the floor of the guild. 

Murmuring started about the two immediately, but no one moved a muscle, except Mirajane, who had ran off to get Master Makarov and Kinana who made her way over to Natsu and Gray, concern spread across her face. She wasn’t entirely sure what she could do. 

“Natsu, Gray, are you alright?” Freed was the first to speak up. He stood from where he sat alone and walked toward the two boys. 

“I don't know,” Natsu panted as he tried to push himself off the floor. He managed to get himself to sit up and lean against the corner of a nearby bench, “Erza freaked out and told me to run as fast as I could to the guild,” the muttering got louder and people shot concerned looks toward Gray especially as well as a few glances toward Natsu. 

Gray started to groan and Natsh scrambled forward to his side, and rolled him onto his back. Gray's face was slightly pinched up as he let out another soft sound of pain. 

“Gray? Buddy? How are you? Wake up, man,” Natsu said, hoping for some sort of a reaction. He grabbed onto Gray’s face, wincing at the cold. He heated his hands up to see if he could wake him. 

“What's going on?” Natsu heard Master Makarov ask and Natsu snapped his head up toward the master and where he was coming from. Mirajane followed closely behind the master with a distressed look on her face.

“I'm not sure. Erza was really freaked out, though. She told me to bring him to you as fast as I could so I ran,” Natsu finished and the doors of the guild busted open again and Erza stormed through with Lucy just a few moments behind. Lucy was let down by Virgo and said her farewell to the spirit before sending it away.

“Master!” Erza exclaimed as she noticed Makarov standing by Natsu and Gray. Wendy and Carla then showed up together at the guild, Wendy with a look of concern spread across her face, Carla with a fatigued expression as the exceed dropped Wendy gently on the ground

“Erza!” Makarov said back, “What is going on?” 

“Master, his external temperature was fifty five degrees and internal was negative fifty,” Erza said and Master Makarov narrowed his gaze. 

“Jett,” Makarov said and Jett snapped up from the table where he sat with Levy and Droy.

“Yes, Master?” he asked, his voice shaking because of his nerves.

“Run as fast as you can and get Porlyusica,” Makarov said and then turned toward Jett, “Tell her we have an ice wizard in possible grave danger,” Jett nodded and he was gone immediately, leaving nothing but a few toppled tables behind him. 

“Is it that bad, Master?” Lucy asked, stepping forward from where she stood.

“I'm not sure,” Makarov said and hung his head in shame, “I wish I could tell you.”

“That's alright, Master,” Happy said to offer comfort.

“Natsu, I know you're tired, but could could you take Gray to the infirmary? He’s far too cold for anyone else to touch,” Makarov asked.

“Of course, Gramps,” Natsu said and picked up Gray. Natsu stumbled a bit, everyone in the guild could tell that Natsu didn't really have the strength to be carrying around Gray as he was but of course he continued up the stairs to the infirmary.

“Master-”

“Let's hope she gets here quick,” Makarov insisted. cutting off Erza before he walked away, back to where Mirajane had went to get him. 

***

“Here, Natsu, I built this fire for you. I could tell your magic and energy was low,” Mirajane said and gestured to the fireplace in the infirmary. 

“Leave it to help warm up Gray,” Natsu insisted, staring down at Gray's face. Gray was now somehow sweating, but despite his cold skin, the drops of sweat didn't freeze. 

“I think you have a better chance of warming him up than some burning wood. Please eat it, Natsu,” Mirajane said before she walked out of the room. Natsu looked at the tempting fire, but turned his head away to look back at Gray. Mirajane has gotten Gray a few blankets and tucked him in tightly to trap heat inside, but whenever Natsu touched Gray's face, his skin was still just as cold if not colder. Mirajane had tried hot towels, but they would just freeze as soon as she set them on his face and they were being counter-productive.

“Where is the boy?” Natsu heard a somewhat familiar woman call and he perked up, excited that Porlyusica had finally arrived. Soon after the infirmary doors burst open to reveal the elderly pink-haired healing wizard with Mirajane behind her.

Porlyusica took time to set her things down and begin an examination on Gray. Natsu was shocked when the woman pulled off the blankets and the bed Gray laid on was soaking wet. Natsu curiously sniffed and was shocked that he couldn't smell any sweat, but the bed seemed to be soaked with it from the sheets to the mattress.

“This is not good,” Porlyusica said, staring at the soaked bed. 

“What is it miss?” Mirajane asked, concerned about Gray's health.

“Leave me alone, you wizard!” Porlyusica shouted back and then turned back to Gray after she managed to scare Mirajane out of the room. 

Natsu didn't move. He didn't want to leave Gray alone when he was like this. Natsu wanted to walk away when he could walk out the doors with Gray right behind him. He wouldn’t admit it to anyone else, but Gray was his best friend and this was the sacirest thing Natsu has ever experienced. 

“Shut up,” Porlyusica snapped and Natsu shook his head in confusion.

“What? I want even talking to ya!” Natsu exclaimed. Porlyusica growled at Natsu in response, leaving him speechless.

“I've never seen this in my life,” the healer said, calmer than she had been before when she snapped at Natsu for thinking, “thankfully,” she mumbled after, but Natsu’s keen hearing could pick it up.

“What's wrong?” Natsu asked calmly, hoping he wouldn't set off the antisocial woman who had a special dislike for wizards talking to her or anyone for that matter. The only person she had been somewhat decent to was Wendy. 

“It's called Winter Fever. It’s an old sickness that only affects ice wizards. It almost wiped out every single practitioner of ice magic until it suddenly disappeared. It turned out to be a healer that had conjured up a remedy to heal the remaining sick. There hasn't been a case of it since,” Porlyusica said softly. 

“How serious is it?” Natsu asked next and stared down at Gray's face.

“The infected’s internal and external body heat drops below a safe point. Ice wizards usually maintain an internal body heat of thirty two degrees, give or take five degrees. Their external body heat is usually around a ninety seven, just like that of a normal human with about a twenty degree margin. External body heat has never been as important than internal,” she said even further. 

“What else?” Natsu asked. 

“The wizard then begins to lose control of his magical and starts to cast spells, but all those that deal with ice usually melts immediately because if they can't regulate their own temperature, their magic fluctuates as well,” Porlyusica stopped and looked toward the floor for a moment, “There usually comes a point when the wizard themself starts to freeze. Once they're frozen, there’s nothing we can do,” she finished. 

“Is there anything I can help you with?” Natsu asked, scared of the possibility that this could kill Gray. 

“Get me Erza,” Porlyusica said. 

***

“Good luck, Erza,” Lucy said with a saddened expression. Erza casted a stern look toward all of the worrisome guild members standing behind her. She was determined to do as Porlyusica had instructed her to do. 

“I will be back, and Gray will be okay,” Erza said with determination.

“We have faith in you, Erza,” Makarov said next, “Now, make haste and begin your journey.” Erza nodded and turned to leave the guild. Everybody was shocked that she decided to carry on without much more than a sack to carry money and food. 

The energy in the guild was tense. Most people were too worried about Gray to murmur anything about some other topic. Fairy Tail had never been so quiet. 

“Natsu Dragneel,” Natsu, as well as other guild members, looked back to where Porlyusica stood on a balcony looking out over the main hall, “I need your assistance,” she said and walked away. Natsu was quick to run toward the infirmary not sparing a moment to question it. He rushed in the doors and looked toward where Porlyusica sat beside Gray. 

“What do you need, Ma'am?” Natsu asked. Gray didn't look any better. His already pale skin now had a tint of blue and he was sweating. despite his insanely cold temperature.

“I need you to help warm him up. Blankets aren't enough and he quickly soaks them with cold water and it aids in dropping his temperature,” Porlyusica explained to Natsu, whose eyes were still focused on Gray's body, “You can regulate your body temperature with your magic. I don't need you to do anything crazy, I just need you to keep him stabilized at this temperature. If his internal body temperature drops anymore, his organs will start freezing and failing and then it will spread to his skin. Then, he will die” she finished. 

“Okay,” was all Natsu managed to respond and he walked past the pink-haired wizard and laid down in the bed next to Gray, not sure of any other way to help his friend. Natsu stared at gray for a second before he grabbed onto Gray and wrapped his legs and Arms around the ice wizard. 

Natsu was shocked by the freezing sensation, it was much worse than when he had brought Gray back to the guild. Natsu shivered before making his body heat up to the point where he was maintaining the heat of a large fire in a chimney. He was sure he would burn anybody else if they touched him at this temperature.

“Please don't die, Gray, we need you,” Natsu whispered into the unconscious Wizard's ear, “I need you.”

***

Erza trekked slowly up the mountain as intense snow pushed against her. Urging her to go back down the mountain, but she continued on with the determination to make it to the ice healer's cave at the top of the mountain that porlyusica had sent her to. This was Gray’s only hope and the job was put in her hands.

Makarov couldn't send any other wizard because it is said that no wizard except that of one that practices ice magic could reach the top. They didn’t have the time to send for Lyon at Lamia Scale and request his help so their only hope was Erza. She could equip herself with the strength to withstand the wind and snow of a blizzard and she held incomparable determination powered by the thought of her teammate -her friend- lying in the infirmary in the guild, stepping slowly toward death. 

With each step Erza's body became more tired. The thin air of the mountains was no help to her endurance and despite the thick wool cloak set atop her shoulders, her fingers, toes and nose were numb while the rest of her body shivered in the cold. She was slowly losing pieces of the hope she held as the day fell down tonight and the glisten of the snow from the snow turned to an eerie reflection of the grey moon. She began to understand why only an ice wizard could make it up this mountain, but she had to be the one to defy those odds.

Erza’s foot slipped on a rock covered with a thick layer of ice and she fell into the snow. She laid there in the cold fluff, contemplating taking a break for just a moment. She thought that a quick rest couldn't do anything to hurt her mission, she was already making good time. There was no way that Gray would take a turn for the worse in the 5 minutes she spared for a break.

Erza's eyes snapped open and she realized why she was battling to get through the snow and up a mountain. She realized what her purpose was to be on that mountain, something she allowed herself to forget about as she flooded her mind with her own pains. She saw images flash before her. She saw Grey and Natsu as children, both orphaned, just as she was, fighting each other with all they could muster. She saw Gray in his lowest points, hanging on to his ties at the guild for support. She saw Gray in his most triumphant moments, standing tall with the guild, filled with pride. She saw him get struck by a mysterious magic. She watched him collapse again on the streets. She saw his pale face and suddenly the cold wasn’t just wind, but it was the feeling of Gray’s ice cold skin. 

“I'm coming, Gray,” she said and pushed herself up from the freezing ground, “Don't you dare turn on me,” she growled and moved her feet forward, faster than she had been previously with a new bout of inspiration under her belt. Erza could get herself to the highest peak of any mountain, but that wasn't her goal.

Erza summited another peak of the mountain and she looked out for any sign of life. She scanned the area and almost cried the moment she saw the soft yellow light radiating from the mountain not too far from where she stood. No matter who it was that resided, there, the home was a good sign. It was a sign of directions, a sign of warmth, and a beacon of hope on the dark ice caps. 

Erza, filled with joy started to run toward the door, her eyes welled up with tears as she thought of what the light could mean for her friend. Her hopes were high and her mind was going crazy. Erza had never imagined that a simple yellow light would be so relieving. 

She made it over to the light and noticed it was a window of a house carved into the side of the mountain. A place for someone who never wanted to be found. This gave Erza even greater hope.

Erza knocked on the door loudly and frantically. Her heart was consumed with the hope that the door would open to reveal the ice healer whose descendants figured out the cure to the Winter Fever pandemic. 

“Please,” Erza called, she knocked again and baarely made out the sound of a few footsteps despite the loud howling wind around her, “You're the only one that can help me,” Erza screamed desperately. There was no response or sound. Erza pounded on the door and became angry. 

“I need your help and I am not afraid to break down this door to get it,” She shouted and slammed both of her fists on the wood, “I know you're in there! Open up,” Erza screamed, tears falling from her eyes. She couldn't give up now because of a hermit refusing to answer their door. The door snapped open to reveal a young girl with white hair and big piercing ice-blue eyes. 

“Leave here,” she said sternly and narrowed her eyes at Erza, “You are not an ice wizard, I have no business with you,” she snapped and moved to slam the door shut, but Erza stepped forward and stopped it from closing. 

“You do have business with me. My friend is dying and you're the only one who can help him,” Erza screamed at her angry that the girl wouldn't give her the time to listen.

“There are plenty of great healers around you,” she snapped back.

“You don’t know who I am or where I'm from,” Erza challenged.

“You are Titania: The Queen of the Fairies, also known as Erza Scarlett an S-Class wizard with the power to requip from the guild Fairy Tail in the town of Magnolia. Porlyusica lives very close to you and is better than me,” the girl said, shocking Erza with her knowledge. 

“You don’t have all the facts!” Erza screamed, “If you did, you wouldn't be pushing me away!” 

“Then tell me what I am missing,” The girl challenged.

“Gray, he's an ice wizard that uses maker magic, he was hit with a shot from mysterious magic on our last job. He fell ill and we called Porlyusica,”Erza snapped angrily, “She told me to come get you because nobody else on this earth had the ability to cure winter fever!” Erza finished.

At the mention of winter fever the girl's face produced an expression that mixed together shock and fear.

“Why didn't you tell me?” The girl shouted and turned back into the house. Erza took the action as an invitation into the house. 

Erza was shocked when she walked in there were herbs and potions she had never seen a likeness of before set neatly atop shelves and desks. There was a whole wall of a bookshelf that held only Journals, some that looked to be older than a century and others only the age of a few days. 

The girl rummaged around throwing herbs and liquids and tools and a notebook into a bag.

“Tell me,” the girl suddenly said as she continued packing, “When was your guild mate hit?” she asked.

“Just yesterday,” Erza said, hoping that would be relief to the frantic healer.

“It’s been too long,” she whispered but Erza noticed.

“What do you mean?” Erza demanded.

“I don't know if I can save him until I get there. He may be as good as dead as we speak. Winter Fever works fast. If they have no way or keeping his temperature at least stabilized, he's gonna freeze and die in an inescapable pain. He may seem unconscious, but he can hear and feel everything. Ice wizards can sustain a lot of ice, yes, but like all they have a limit. Their body structures still have a freezing point, like all humans, just extremely lower. Winter Fever removes their ability to regulate that temperature and they, in essence, freeze themselves to death. All accounts of those who survived say that they were in excruciating pain, that they could feel their bodies slowly freezing. It will al deterriorate his muscle tissue and fat tissue and possibly brain tissue, but there’s no way of knowing that one because most people don’t survive past a day of infection,” the girl said and finished packing her sack and closed it and stood to stare at Erza, “Erza, I may heal your friend, but there will still be the possibility that he never wakes up. I have no faith in my ability to save him right now, but I must go because my Grandmother’s books aren’t finished and I must complete her work,”

“What?” Erza said in shock.

“Let's hope Porlyusica is as smart as I thought,” the girl grabbed a clock, blew out the candle of the only light, and started to walk past Erza when she stopped and turned around, “My name is Efa,” she said and walked out of the house. Erza quickly followed after, slamming the door to the mountain home behind her and the two women began their trek back down the mountain.

***

“Gray, I can feel you getting colder no matter how hot I make myself,” Natsu said softly to the boy he was holding in his arms, “I need you to slow down, Buddy. If you lose control, I don't know what I'd do without you,” Natsu whispered and sniffled just a bit. 

Natsu sat up slightly and stared at Gray's pale face. He looked on with sadness at the sight and leaned his head onto Gray's shoulder. 

“I really need you in the guild, Gray,” Natsu said and lifted his head again. Natsu hesitated before he leaned down to kiss Gray's forehead before he laid back down to continue holding Gray. Natsu felt his body heat up even more but he was tired of the magical energy that it took to maintain his heat for so long. He hoped in the back of his head that Erza would be back with help soon so he would have some time to rest and replenish his strength before he had to go back to trying to regulate Gray's continuous dropping temperature. 

Natsu's mind was snapped out of his thoughts when the silence was filled with screaming and cheers coming from the guild below. Who could know what the drunkards were celebrating this time they hollered out cheers. 

“It's as if they don't care,” Natsu mumbled and held onto Gray tighter. Natsu was startled when the infirmary door slammed open and was filled with a loud banging noise. 

“A first generation dragon slayer?” Natsu heard an unfamiliar voice exclaim. 

“Would you believe he's one of three in our guild,” Natsu snapped his head around at the sound of Erza's voice. Natsu was flushed with relief and held tighter onto Gray. The sight made him want to cry, it was a sign of hope.

“You’re gonna be okay, Snowflake,” Natsu whispered and a tear fell from his eye and evaporated as it rolled down his cheek. 

“Dragon Slayer, I need you to let go. You’ve done well, I assure, but it’s up to me now,” she said. Her voice, like Porlyusica’s was stern, but she also maintained more gentleness in her speech. Natsu was comforted by her speech in comparison to Porlyusica’s and began to get up off of Gray. He practically had to pry his skin off of Gray’s to get out of the healer’s way and the feeling of his skin being practically frozen to Gray’s was haunting. The woman Erza was with quickly bothered herself with Gray and tending to him as soon as Natsu was out of the way. Natsu could tell that the girl was concerned from the very second she entered the room. 

“Natsu, you look exhausted,” Erza said with a just as weary expression pulled over her face. “You've done all you can for now,” she continued, “Go have Mirajane make you something to eat and rest up for a little bit while Efa is working on Gray,” Erza insisted. Natsu knew better than to pick a fight with Erza so he obliged and started to walk out of the door. Once Natsu was gone Erza walked around to the opposite side of Gray's bed.

“How does he look?” Erza asked, sitting down on a nearby empty cot. 

“Fascinating,” Efa mumbled and wrote a note in her notebook, “I haven’t done anything but he has internal body heat signatures, I've never seen a case as such in Grandma's journals,” Efa said then set down the book. 

“What are you going to to then?” Erza asked, confused as if the sign was good or bad.

“Treat him as normal. He's still in a very unstable point in the fever. His external body heat is around 35 degrees, and internal is well within the negatives. If we had arrived just an hour later. He may very well be dead,” Efa explained as she began to mix herbs and liquids together into a bowl, crushing them with a marble stick when it was an herb. 

“God, it's all my fault if he dies,” Erza mumbled and put her head in her hands in despair. 

“That's completely false. You're the only reason this wizard has a chance,” Efa said as she continued he work, “How exactly did this happen?” Efa asked after a moment of silence, “Grandmother eradicated all outbreaks and signs of winter fever a long time ago. He should have never been able to get infected, even if it was-”

“I don't know, Efa, we were fighting this wizard and he had magic I had never seen. The more we fought him the faster we felt out of it and tired. Gray was the only one to get a direct hit and on the way back to Magnolia he collapsed,” Erza explained.

“Pestilence magic,” Efa mumbled, “It's an ancient practice that had been deemed cruel and outlawed by the first magic council. Since then there hasn't been any cases of it,” Efa explained, “there’s a spell that infects the victim with the most deadly illness for them. It’s different for every practice of magic,” she finished.

“Well, the man was turned in to the magic council,“ Erza started, “Let's hope we never see magic like that ever again,” she said, staring solemnly at he feet.

Efa then stood from her seat and grabbed a tube from her bag. She took just a moment to insert the tube into Gray’s mouth and down his throat. When just the top of the long tube was left, she pulled out a funnel and placed it at the entrance of the tube. She then took her bowl of the medicine and poured it down the funnel and into the tube. She next took a cup of water and poured just a little bit down after. 

Moments later, Efa removed the tube from his mouth and Erza gringed as she listened to the light gagging sound Gray made. It hurt her to know he was in this mess because of her choosing of the mission and her lack of attention to protecting her teammates. 

“All we can do is wait now,” Efa said, “He should be able to start regulating his own body temperature soon, but it would be safe to get that fire dragon slayer to help stimulate heat in his body,” Efa suggested, “I don’t know if you've noticed, but in just the time we have been in this room, Gray's magic has managed to form icicles in the window and drop the temperature by 20 degrees,” Efa explained andEerza looked around to see the effects Efa explained. 

“For some reason, that dragon slayer control's Gray's magic, something that heat alone can’t do. They must be close,” Efa hypothesized and took her notebook to write down another thing, “That's all I can do for now, Erza, I will stay at Fairy Tail until he is fully recovered, but right now I need to go see Porlyusica,” Efa pulled out a whistle from her bag, “blow on this if you need me and I'll be here in a minute,” she handed the whistle to Erza and stood with her bag and notebook in hand. Erza stood from the cot and bowed.

“Thank you, Efa. I’ll talk to Mirajane about getting you a room in the women’s dorm. We’ll have a room here ready for when you return, free of all charge for your aid,” Erza said, tears were welling up him her eyes as she spoke. 

“Thank you for bringing me here,” Efa said and left the room. When the door closed, Erza fell to the ground and began to sob. Her tears were for many things, all emotions that had slowly built up within the past day or so. 

***

“Natsu, have you rested?” Erza asked Natsu from where he sat at the bar, lazily munching on some food Mirajane had prepared for him. 

“Yeah, I guess so,” Natsu said and dropped the food from his hand. Erza sat down beside Natsu and looked toward him with concern.

“Are you okay?” she asked him.

“Yeah, I'm just worried about Gray. I've never felt something so cold and no matter what I did he just kept on getting colder and colder. Nothing I did helped him,” Natsu said and dropped his head in his hands and ran his fingers through his hair, “My magic was useless,”

“Efa said you're the only reason he's not dead right now, Natsu,” Erza said and placed her hand on Natsu's shoulder to offer him some comfort, “You were the only chance he was going to live before Efa came. You did so much more than you realize-”

“Then why does it feel like I failed him, Erza!” Natsu shouted and stood up from the bar. The rest of the guild members in the hall shushed immediately and turned their attention to where Erza and Natsu stood. Natsu had tears falling down his face and his hands were clenched by his side, “You don't understand, Erza! I can't live without Gray. He’s the only one that understands how I felt in my childhood, losing the one person I could count on. He's always there for me to let my anger out. He always has my back. The one time it's my turn to have his back I fail. I held him and felt his freezing body get so cold that it burned. I felt his skin so stiff it was like he had been dead for weeks. I had to pry my skin off his freezing body because it froze there and no matter how hard I tried nothing got rid of that haunting feeling that he was dead. If he doesn't make it through I don't know what I'm going to do,” Natsu screamedand walked out of the guild main hall and to the nursery.

Erza was left at the bar shocked. She had never witnessed Natsu break down like that. She had seen him freak out and get angry, but Erza had never witnessed Natsu cry like that. Nobody in the guild had. She almost felt guilty for thinking she knew everything natsu was thinking. 

***

There was a knock on the infirmary door and Efa looked toward the large wood door as Natsu walked through. His face held a downtrodden expression and his eyes were red. 

“Sorry to interrupt,” Natsu prefaced.

“I know it's not going to help,” Efa said, “but you really are the only reason I'm able to heal him. Winter Fever is insanely dangerous and fast. If this guild didn't have you, Gray would have been dead hours ago,” Efa said. Natsu didn’t know what to say to the small girl. He couldn't even bring himself to believe her. The sight of the icicles formed at the wondow and fireplace drained him of more of the little hope he held onto. 

“The fever is slowly going,” Efa said, “he should lose the fever, but to be honest with you, I don't know if he’ll ever wake up. Your fire magic would help speed the recovery process for him,” Efa and stood from her seat. She walked past Natsu through the doorway and stopped just past him before turning back, “If he wakes up,” Efa started, “He is going to go through a long and hard recovery process and he's gonna need you every step of the way. Don't dwell on what you owe him now. You'll pay it back once he wakes up,” she said and walked out of the room. 

Natsu watched the girl walk away and toward the exit of the guild. He then looked back in the room at Gray where he laid on the bed. Natsu felt a wave of relief when he noticed that Gray's skin wasn't as blue anymore and the icicles were not completely frozen, but dripping water as they slowly melted. Natsu took this as a good sign. 

Natsu walked over to the bed slowly and looked over Gray. He hesitantly held his hand over Gray before he let his fingers touch Gray's cheek softly. Natsu almost cried when he felt how much warmer Gray had felt than before. His skin was still as cold as ice, but it didn’t burn anymore. 

“Thank god,” he cried and laid down in the bed. He took Gray into his arms again and held the boy tightly and raised his body heat higher than he ever had before. Natsu had felt encouraged by the slightly less cold skin and it made him feel warm. Natsu cried with a smile on his face.

*** 

“Efa!” Erza shouted when the guild doors opened and the ice healer walked through. She ran over to the girl, “Why did I see you leave the guild twice? I'm going crazy,” Erza said. Efa laughed at her.

“My magic allows me to send an apparition of sorts of myself to somewhere else. I knew your dragon slayer needed some words of encouragement so I decided to help him as well. My magic is also one of the reasons why I know so much. I like to think of it as psychic, but all the people in my family have been able to write down moments from the future or facts about another person continents away. It was the reason Grandma found the cure to winter fever. I have no control over it, but for some reason, my hand told me to write about the great Fairy Tail warrior, Titania,” Efa said and walked past Erza.

“Wait, where are you going?” Erza called.

“I have to check on my patient,” Efa said and continued on to the infirmary. She wasted no time getting to the infirmary and walked in relieved to feel a room that was hot instead of freezing. She was happy to know that her apparition did its job well.

Efa walked around the bed so she could look at Gray with a close eye to do an examination without disturbing the sleeping wizard latched onto Gray. Efa noted in her journal that the color was back in Gray's face. She gently set her hand on his forehead and smiled when she had felt that the boy was not freezing but just cold. He was recovering fast thanks to the fire dragon slayer and his warm body. 

Efa sat down on the wood chair beside the bed and began writing in her journal. She was hoping for some message to come to her that would assure her that the ice wizard would wake up. He may be recovering, but she couldn't tell if he would even wake up again. Efa feared that she would have to advise the guild to kill their member to let him go on to the afterlife since he would never be able to open his eyes. 

Seeing the words her grandmother had written about telling family members and friends of such news broke her heart and she never wanted to experience it. 

The door to the infirmary opened. Efa expected it to be Erza to pester her with more questions, but Efa was pleasantly surprised when Mirajane walked in holding a tray with warm food on it and a smile on her face.

“It’s very toasty in here, isn't it?” Mirajane joked.

“It is,” Efa said, “but it’s good.”

“I brought you some food, Miss. I thought you may be hungry,” Mirajane said and set down the try on the table just beside Efa. She sent her gaze toward Natsu and Gray and snorted, “That's definitely a first,” she laughed, but her chuckle quickly diminished and she looked toward Efa with a concerned expression and then turned her gaze to Gray again. “How is he?” Mirajane asked.

“Much better, but we'll have to wait for a clear answer, Mira, we just have to hope for the best,” Efa said and offered a smile to Mirajane. 

“Thank you for helping us,” Mirajane said and turned away and left the room. 

***

Natsu was woken up by some movement beside him. He could feel his body being pushed around slightly. Natsu's weary eyes opened and tried to focus on something. He immediately began to perk up when he realized the movement was from Gray who was still grasped tightly in Natsu's arms.

Gray was moving around just a bit and then he began to groan and make other noises that scared Natsu. Natsu quickly sat up and watched as Gray writhed around on the bed for a few seconds, his expression clenching and falling repeatedly. Gray was groaning crying out. Natsu looked around the room to get Efa, but the healer was nowhere to be found and Natsu was too afraid to leave the room.

“Gray?” Natsu asked and almost on cue, Gray started to breath heavily and his groans turned into gasps and whines.. Natsu stood from the bed and looked over Gray's moving body. Natsu noticed Gray's eyes open slightly, but only the whites of his eyes showed with the occasional iris lolling across. 

Gray was completely out of it, but something was causing him pain and Natsu had no idea what was going on. He couldn't tell if it was good news because Gray was awake, or bad because it meant he was dying right in front of Natsu. Natsu took one more look at Gray who was moving a lot more now with louder noises coming from him. His cries were almost that of scramss, but just quiet enough to not be. Natsu panicked and turned to go get the healer. 

The second Natsu's hand his the handle, his ears were pierced by a scream. Natsu snapped his head around to see Gray sat up in the bed holding the sides of his head. Gray's eyes were wide open and he was shouting and screaming more and more and he pulled at his hair and skin. 

Natsu dropped the door handle and ran over to Gray who looked terrified. Natsu sat on the bed in front of Gray and grabbed his hands.

“Gray,” Natsu shouted and pulled Gray's forearms away from his ears, “Gray, calm down, you're safe, I'm here, buddy,” Natsu’s last words must have clicked because Gray's shouting stopped and he latched his arms around Natsu and held on tight. Natsu could hear Gray's profuse crying and wrapped his arms around the ice wizard to comfort him. Natsu was freaked by how much Gray was shaking, the boy didn't feel cold, but Gray was shaking so much.

“You're okay,” Natsu said and squeezed Gray tighter. At that moment the door swung open to reveal Erza followed by Efa with concerned looks spread across their faces. 

“Oh my god,” Erza whispered and the room fell void of all sound except Gray's steady crying. Her eyes welled up with tears as she realized that this meant he was going to be okay. 

“He is a strong wizard,” Efa said in amazement and walked toward Natsu. She set her hand on Natsu's shoulder, maintaining her gaze on Gray, “Can I look at him?” Efa asked.

“Gray, hey,” there was no response so Natsu tried again, “Buddy,” he tried but nothing happened, “Ice Princess, “Natsu murmured into Gray's ear, just loud enough for the ice wizard to notice. Gray's breath hitched at the sound and his weeping slowed. 

“N-Nat-tsu,” Gray whispered against Natsu’s bare shoulder, “All hurt. P-please help me,” he mumbled, his speech broken, and his grip got tighter on Natsu.

“I'm here for you, Snowflake,” Natsu said. He noticed that the teasing nicknames he usually used against Gray seemed to have the most effective calming properties. 

“Hold me unt-til stop,” Gray mumbled through his shaky breath, “I collapse if-if leave,” he said. The words took Natsu a moment to fully understand. His broken speech was confusing, but when he deciphered it, Natsu closed his eyes and smiled, feeling at peace for the first time since Gray collapsed. 

“I won't let go until then,” Natsu said and tightened his grip on Gray. Natsu smiled as he felt Gray's shaking body slowly steady as he leaned more into Natsu.

“He’s gonna be okay,” Efa said after witnessing the interaction.

**Author's Note:**

> If you want a continuation that is about his recovery then comment that. I have some stuff written, but I was pleased enough with this part to just post it. Comments and Kudos much appreciated. Escpecially if you can point out any grammatical errors.


End file.
